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File closed on asphalt plant, says Mayor

Cheakamus residents won't give up their fight

A handful of Cheakamus Crossing residents are vowing to fight the latest deal that sees the asphalt plant still operating on the fringe of a residential neighbourhood.

Disappointed with last week's announcement of a new $2 million plant meeting higher emissions standards but in the same location, Cheakamus Crossing residents used the public question and answer period at Tuesday's council meeting to express their frustrations, and threatened legal action.

Mayor Ken Melamed dismissed several of the nitty-gritty questions surrounding Alpine Paving's history as irrelevant.

"We have considered all of the historical events to date," he told Tim Koshul, spokesman for the No Asphalt Plant (NAP).

"Those things, while interesting, have been reviewed.

"Essentially, the file is closed."

But a handful of the plant's most outspoken critics made clear they are not satisfied with that answer.

When told that the legality of the asphalt plant use is established unless it is challenged in court, Koshul replied:

"We'll see you in court then."

Koshul is in discussions with his lawyer, as are some of the other neighbours.

"This isn't going away," he said the following morning. "It's far from over."

 

New CAO to be chosen this term

 

The job of choosing a new chief administrative officer for municipal hall will rest with this council, despite suggestions to the contrary.

In a letter to council Doug and Sheila Dixon suggested the task should be left to the new council, elected in November, as it will be working with the new CAO.

Current CAO Bill Barratt is scheduled to retire at the end of June.

"We've been taking steps throughout our term to prepare for this," explained Councillor Chris Quinlan.

"These (this council) are the best people to do the job."

Mayor Ken Melamed added that hiring a new CAO is not something a new council should be burdened with.

He added: "It will be done this term."

 

Non-profits ask for grant money

 

Local community groups, from the Whistler Singers to the Whistler Valley Quilters' Guild, make their pitch to council for grant money this week.

Collectively, the 28 groups are asking for about $350,000, that's about $200,000 more than council has to give.

"Council's challenge is to make the numbers meet," said Mayor Ken Melamed.

Council heard from the groups at Tuesday's afternoon workshop.

All approved funding through the Community Enrichment Program will be issued by the end of April.

 

RMOW unable to help tennis club

 

The municipality's hands are tied when it comes to ensuring the Whistler Racquet and Tennis facility is kept up to snuff.

That was the message from the mayor this week in response to letters complaining about the state of the facility, which is owned by the Holborn Group.

There is no mechanism for the municipality, he said, to compel Holborn to keep up the services of the club.

"People are asking for us to take action," said Melamed. "There is no action for us to take."

He suggested that the tennis club could offer to take over the club from Holborn, something, he added, that the municipality is not prepared to do at this point.